Communications devices and systems are commonly used to support communications between two or more parties at different locations from one another. For example, conference calls between users at multiple locations are common. In order to facilitate the exchange of information during conference calls, video conferencing capabilities have been developed. Video conferencing capabilities can include electronic whiteboards or other applications and systems to display or otherwise exchange information between conference participants. Such systems have typically been implemented using specialized video conferencing equipment.
In connection with a real time, non-real time, or combined communications sessions, a user may need to access media and/or communication streams of different types. Doing so has typically required that the user of a communication device manually select between different applications to access the different media and/or communication streams. In addition to being inconvenient, the use of different applications commonly results in the generation of multiple windows within the display of the user's communication device, creating a cluttered user interface.
Mobile communication devices are increasingly relied on by users as a primary means of communication. Most mobile devices have a relatively compact format. In particular, the display capabilities of mobile devices may be relatively limited. As a result, it can be difficult or impossible for a user of a mobile device to fully participate in video or other conferences, or to access recorded information, when information is exchanged using visual displays. For example, as noted, where multiple applications are used to exchange information in association with a conference session, those applications have each occupied a different window. The resulting multiplicity of windows can be difficult to manage on many communication endpoints, and in particular on communication endpoints having limited display capabilities. The limitations of communication device displays are especially apparent where the communication device relies on a touch screen interface for receiving input from the user of the device. In particular, in connection with such devices, the display area available for presenting content that is the subject of a communications session or conference is limited.